Folding table



2 Sheets-Sheet l mpi INVENTOR. JosfPH Z/CHERMAN.

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' ATTORNEY.

J. ZICHERMAN FOLDING TABLE Filed May 17, 1954 @at l, 1935a J. ZICHERMAN FOLDING TABLE Filed May 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i1 1- fix' 1 nu? L I N VEN TOR. Jo 55p# Z/cHf/QMA/v,

ATT RNEY.

Patented Oct. l, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLE Joseph Zicherman, New York, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1934, Serial No. 726,028

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tables, and more particularly, to folding game tables.

Much diiculty and inconvenience are encountered in the operation and manipulation of present day folding tables, such as tennis, bridge, ping pong tables, etc., resulting from the intricateand often clumsy devices employed in order to prevent the collapsing of the legs while the table is in use. Many a finger has been cut or bruised in attempting to operate these tables. My invention is very simple to operate and affords safety, complete security and eiiiciency; and has as one of its main objects means to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages.

It is an object of the invention to provide collapsible means for table legs, the latter working in pairs.

It is another object of the invention to accomplish this without the use of springs or other complicated mechanism, using a single sliding bolt.

It is another object of the invention to provide means for securing two or more tables together by the use of a series of dowel pins on a side of one of the tables engaging corresponding holes in the other.

This invention accordingly consists in the fea-'- tures of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and -disposition thereof;

all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable `othere skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the saine by the numerous modications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred and a modified form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views,

of which:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of two tables in tandem, the legs and bolts being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail bottom View of the table and its collapsing means, the table top having been removed.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, but with the 50 table legs illustrated in their collapsed position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the support with pin in the track and is taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along lines 6-6 of Fig. 3.

55 Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 4, but illustrating a modification in the spacing of the two pairs of legs.

In the drawings the tables I0 and II are provided with legs I 2, I3, I4 and I5, two of each being tied together by the use of stiffening cross mem- 5 bers I6 and I'I. These table legs are hingedly secured to the underside of the table top or plate by means of hinges l2', I3', I4 and I5. Hingedly secured to the cross members I6 and I'l are diagonal braces I8 and I9 by means of hinges I6 and 10 Il'. Secured to the underside o the table plate Iii is a double track member 2t, having recessed tracks 2i and 22. These recessed tracks are a little wider than the diagonal braces, so as to completely receive them in the folded position. 15 At the end of each tie brace is a pin 23, which may be also in the form of a roller. Also secured to the underside of the table plate I by means of a strap 24 is a bolt 25. 'Ihis bolt 25 has two stop members 26 and 21 to prevent the bolt 20 from moving out of its location.

This bolt 25 ts also into slot 28 in track 20.

.As illustrated in Fig. 3, the legs are extended for use, whereby the bevelled iiat end 29 of the diagonal braces I8 and I9 are in their extreme po- 25 sition, and held in this position by the wedge operation of the bolt 25, clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. When this bolt 25 has been removed from the tracks 2| and 22 as shown in Fig. 4, the diagonal braces will be permitted to slide on their respec- 30 tive pins 23 in the track into the collapsed position.

To be able to use tables in tandem, the edge of one may be provided with dowel pins 30 tting into corresponding holes or recesses in the edge of 35 the other table.

The table may be manufactured from any suitable material, such as metal, wood, composition.

If it is desired to make the table with higher legs, without increasing the dimensions of the 40 table top, for example, for use as a tennis table or the like, table leg pairs I2-l3 and I4-I5 can be slightly offset in relation to each other, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. In the collapsed position illustrated these legs will pass each other, 45 thus avoiding the overlapping of the leg pairs and the corresponding bulginess.

It is believed from the above description that those skilled in the art will have no difficulty in understanding the construction, the method of use and operation of the device herein disclosed and a detailed discussion thereof is unnecessary. The invention is of simple and practical construction and is adapted to accomplish among others all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can b-y applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without ornit-V ting certain features, that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specic aspects of this invention, and therefore, such adaptations should Y and Vare intended to be comprehended Within'the meaning and range of equivalency Vof the following claims.

I claim: t

1. A folding table comprising a table top, a pair of legs hingedly connected to the table top', a cross member connecting said legs, a brace hingedly secured to the cross member, a track secured to said table top and having a channel, said channel adapted to receive the brace in oompletely folded position, a projection adjacent an end of the brace extending within the channel, a bolt slidably secured to the underside of said table top, said bolt being provided with two stop a brace hingedly secured to each cross member, Y

a double track secured to the underside of the table top and having channels adapted to slidingly receive the braces in completely folded position, a projection being provided at an end of each brace extending within the channel, a bolt slidably secured to the underside of thesaid table top, said bolt being providedrwith two stop members toV prevent the bolt from moving out of its location, said bolt fitting into a slot provided in said track, and cooperating with said braces to hold the legs in vertical operable position.

JOSEPH ZICHERMAN. 

